Scale modeling by Roland Sachsenhofer | Blogs

@rosachsenhofer Roland Sachsenhofer

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A “Flying Whale” over the Black Sea: Martin B-10 Model 139WT in Turkish service

by Roland Sachsenhofer on August 28, 2021
in Aviation — 14 Comments

When in 1934 an icon like General Henry "Hap" Arnold enthusiastically declared the Martin B-10 to be "the air power wonder of its day", this was tantamount to elevation to the rank of aeronautical nobility. What exactly led Arnold to this favour[...]

A Norse in Burma! Noordhuyn C-64 Norseman

by Roland Sachsenhofer on August 23, 2021
in Aviation — 20 Comments

The Noordhuyn Norseman/ C-64 In English, "Norseman" means "Norman/Viking" and indeed, as will be described in a moment, the robust high wing is closely connected with the tough demands of flying in the far north, indeed, literally tailored to it[...]

Show your teeth! A very unique Gotha Go-242

by Roland Sachsenhofer on August 12, 2021
in Aviation — 21 Comments

About the Gotha Go-242 If there was a "workhorse" among the German cargo gliders, then the Go-242 deserves this title. Although the design of this glider broke new ground in many ways, the result was such a harmonious and successful construction[...]

Silver wing over Austria! Fw-56 “Stößer” in the colours of the Austrian Armed Forces

by Roland Sachsenhofer on August 5, 2021
in Aviation — 10 Comments

About the Fw-56 "Stößer In the Austrian military aviation of the First Republic, fighter planes from the stocks of the then fascist Italy dominated by far. Among all the "Fiats", "Capronis" and "Romeo-Imans", the names of aircraft from neighbour[...]

For whom the bell tolls: an Fw-56 “Stösser” in republican Spanish colours.

by Roland Sachsenhofer on July 29, 2021
in Aviation — 15 Comments

The FW-56 Stösser The Fw-56 "Stösser" is perhaps not the best known type of Kurt Tanks, but with about 514 produced examples and its importance as a trainer for the newly formed Luftwaffe it is not exactly exotic either. Nevertheless, the "Stöss[...]

A hungry giant: Me-321 “Gigant” and Sd.Kfz.9 Famo

by Roland Sachsenhofer on July 13, 2021
in Aviation — 15 Comments

Like its namesakes, the giants of classical mythology, the Messerschmitt Me-321 "Gigant" is the subject of numerous myths and stories. Unlike mythology, however, the facts are verifiable here, but they remain remarkable enough! About the Me-321[...]

Does “Famo” stand for “Famous”? It would be justified! The Schwere Zugkraftwagen 18t/ Sd. Kfz.9 Famo

by Roland Sachsenhofer on July 4, 2021
in Armor — 11 Comments

The Sd.Kfz.9, also known as the "Famo" for short, represents a kind of end point in the most remarkable development history of German half-track vehicles: the design officially known as the "Schwerer Zugkraftwagen 18t" was by far the most powerf[...]

“This is technical fantasy – an aircraft with these parameters cannot be built at present.” The mighty Sukhoi Su-7BMK!

by Roland Sachsenhofer on June 25, 2021
in Aviation — 14 Comments

On the Sukhoi Su-7BMK "Fitter A" "This is technical fantasy - an aircraft with these parameters cannot be built at present." This was the written disbelief with which the Scientific and Technical Council of the Model Commission reacted to the an[...]

“Once upon a time… in the west!” The fabulous Fokker D.VII “Seven Swabians”

by Roland Sachsenhofer on May 27, 2021
in Aviation — 16 Comments

About the Fokker D.VII “Seven Swabians” Aircraft fuselages as canvases have left a long and, literally, colourful trace in the history of aviation, across times and nations. The elongated fuselages, the aircraft noses and sometimes also the wing[...]

Silent into battle: the DFS 230

by Roland Sachsenhofer on May 25, 2021
in Aviation — 10 Comments

Gliding had always played a special role in Germany from the pioneering days of aviation. however, in connection with the military build-up of the Nazi regime, the beauty of silent flying was soon to be overshadowed by the military instrumentali[...]